Entries by gmader

Are you dreaming big enough?

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Most teams approach strategy development by looking in their rear-view mirror. Starting from their present reality, they review their past successes and shortfalls. They analyze their capabilities and means. And, based on that analysis they project their expectations into the future – typically coming up with ‘best case’, ‘worst case’, and ‘most likely case’ scenarios. Sometimes teams benchmark other companies in order to understand industry standards so that they know how high to aim. Benchmarking is often a limiting exercise, as it is merely another way to shape your aspirations based on the past – this time another company’s past. There is nothing wrong with this approach if your business is mature, predictable or you […]

How committed do you have to be?

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Commitment often plays center-stage in our lives. Whether we are trying to lose weight, get in shape, get a promotion, make more money or achieve objectives, we often think in terms of being committed to the cause.

If we want to achieve an objective we know “we have to be committed.” When our friends and colleagues give us advice they often accuse us of not being committed enough, and they tell us to be “more committed.” And, when we fall short in our desired outcomes, we often beat ourselves up and feel guilty about the fact that we are simply “not committed enough”

On the other hand, some of us take commitment to the extreme opposite. We are so obsessed with carrying out our commitment that we often act with extreme intensity and drive ourselves to serious stress. We plan our every action, measure our every milestone or intake, announce our every achievement and fall apart with every setback. Our friends and colleagues often look at us with worry. They regard us as obsessive and fanatics and their advice is often to lighten up, chill or simply “stop taking your commitment so seriously!”

So, the question is: “How committed do we need to be to succeed?”

What is the most important aspect of any Organizational Transformation?

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In most organizations, when people talk about Organizational Transformation, they typically mean a major reorganization or restructuring, a process re-engineering initiative or a system and tool upgrade. These things are very important, and at specific times in the evolution of a company they may be just what the organization needs in order to reach the next level. However, I have seen organizations with best-in-class processes, systems and tools struggle to achieve great performance and results. And I have seen organizations with barely-adequate processes, systems and tools achieve extraordinary results beyond expectations. Why is this the case? The reason is that even in today’s increasingly digital and technology-oriented environment, no matter how high-tech your business is […]

Are you a narcissistic leader?

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I was speaking to a senior executive of a global technology company about leadership. During our conversation, he made an intriguing declaration: “I’d rather be a dwarf that manages giants, than a giant that manages dwarfs”. It was obvious to me that he was referring to the difference between narcissistic leaders who always take the credit, seek the limelight and who remain the stars of the show under all circumstances, versus leaders who view their role as an opportunity to empower, promote, recognize and elevate the people around them. I liked the senior executive’s proclamation because it was powerful, simple, catchy and relevant to many leaders and executives. I have come across and worked with […]

Do Senior Leaders have the courage to confront and own their shortfalls?

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If you want to elevate your team to a new level of ownership, accountability and performance you have to start by taking stock of, and owning your current reality and past. You have to confront what worked, what didn’t work and what still isn’t working. Sometimes, you even have to take responsibility for things that happened before you arrived. Why is this important? Because when you are honest and own your past it is easier to put it behind you. You can then create the space for a powerful new chapter, unlimited by past constraints. If you focus too much on the things that worked, you can easily get comfortable, complacent and/or arrogant, and that […]

Who are you inspired by?

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I was debriefing a session with the CEO of a European division of a global technology company. Just before we parted ways, the CEO, who through our work together had also become a friend, turned to me and asked me a seemingly simple question: “Who are you inspired by?”

Don’t forget to give thanks!

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This week, Americans are celebrating their Thanksgiving holiday. I am not American but I love Thanksgiving because I find the premise and practice of focusing on our life’s blessings and fortunes, as well as expressing gratitude to the people we respect and love, to be extremely healthy, empowering, and necessary to all people in all cultures and geographies.I recently came across a quote from Swindoll that is apropos to this topic: “Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” This quote represents such truth! On a daily basis, we encounter circumstances and situations that give us the opportunity to choose our outlook, mood, and course of action. Sometimes we […]

A salute to Paris and Parisians.

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I am dedicating this week’s blog to Paris and the Parisians. My blog is called Leading and Living Courageously, and I believe this week the Parisians deserve this designation. During the weekend terror attacks in Paris, there were so many acts of courage and bravery by ordinary citizens who went out of their way to help their fellow citizens. I heard stories about people who took injured strangers into their homes and treated them until the emergency units arrived…. People who took strangers in for the night because they couldn’t get home… taxi drivers who drove people back to their homes in the middle of the night without charging them for it… and many other […]

Are you a Leader or a Manager?

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A close friend sent me this chart: I see this chart as outlining some of the differences between leaders and managers. There is such a significant difference between the two. Here are some of my thoughts: Managers manage and focus on the existing reality. Leaders always look forward and think about how to create new realities. I often hear managers brag about how their team’s performance is the best in the region or group. Leaders, on the other hand, seem to care less about how to reach the top of the current scale. They seem to be more interested in how to put their teams at the bottom of the next-level scale. Managers ask for […]

The Five Myths of Strategic Planning: Part Two

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Henry Mintzberg, in his seminal 1993 book The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning, refers to strategic planning as an “oxymoron,” claiming “the process can straitjacket an organization by stifling innovation and commitment.” In my last blog, I shared the first three of five myths that undermine most leaders’ effectiveness at generating powerful strategies and creating the ownership and accountability of their teams toward their execution. Here are the remaining two: Myth #4: Size Matters The typical strategic planning process is an exclusive affair. Executives often believe that the fewer people who are involved in the process, the easier it will be. As such, they often limit participation to a small group of business unit heads and/or the strategy development group. But […]